Key points from article :
Hebrew University scientists create special "Telomouse" with human-like telomeres.
Telomeres are protective caps on the ends of chromosomes, and their length is associated with ageing and cancer.
The researchers identified a genetic variation in a mouse species with naturally shorter telomeres, and transferred it to standard lab mice.
Telomice have human-length telomeres, and are healthy and fertile.
The Telomouse model will allow scientists to study the role of telomere length in ageing and cancer in more detail.
The researchers also developed a new method for measuring telomere length, called NanoTelSeq.
NanoTelSeq could be used to improve diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer and ageing diseases.
